Land level



1954 c. s. BRYAN ARANA LAND LEVEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 15. 1952Carlos al anArma 'wwflmz Maw/dam AT TORN 5Y6 1954 c. s. BRYAN ARANA LANDLEVEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 15, 1952 INVENTOR. Carlos 8.ZiIyanArana ATTO R usvs.

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Patented Oct. 19, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to land or surface levels and more particularlyto a portable leveling device effective to measure distances along asurface, such as the surface of the ground, and indicate the slope ofthe surface along which the distances are measured.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved landlevel which is foldable to a compact condition for transportation andstorage and can be unfolded and adjusted to selected lengths for use;which supports a slope indicating device at a convenient height abovethe ground for use by the operator; which simultaneously measures thedistance along a surface and indicates the slope of the surface alongwhich the distance is measured; which requires only one operator for itsuse as compared with the two or more operators required for theconventional topographical surveying instruments; which will measure theslope of the surface in either direction without reversing the level;which is light in weight and easy to handle, so that it can be easilyused by an operator for a long period of time without causing unduefatigue; and which is simple and durable in construction, economical tomanufacture, and accurate and efiicient in use.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a considerationof the following description and the appended claims in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a land leveling deviceillustrative of the invention with the device in unfolded or extendedcondition;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view on an enlarged scale ofthe middle portion of the device illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse cross sectional view on an enlarged scale onthe line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view on a reduced scale of a somewhatmodified form of land leveling device;

Figure 5a is a sectional view taken on the line 5a5a of Figure 5;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the device illustrated in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a transverse cross sectional view on an enlarged scale onthe line 7-1 of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a side elevational view of a still further modified form ofland leveling device, portions being broken away and shown in crosssection to better illustrate the construction thereof;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on the line 9-9 of Figure8;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on the line I0I0 ofFigure 8; and

Figure 11 is a transverse cross sectional view on the line I II I ofFigure 8.

With continued reference to the drawings, the numeral ill generallyindicates a straight, adjustable length bar, the numerals I I and I2generally indicate legs detachably connected each at one end to the barIII at the respectively opposite ends of the latter and the numeral I3generally indicates a slope indicating device on the bar II) at themidlength location of this bar.

The bar II comprises three elements I4, I5 and I6 of fiat or elongatedrectangular cross sectional shape having straight and substantiallyparallel side edges and formed of a rigid material of high structuralstrength, such as steel, Duralumin or bronze. These bar elements i4, I5and I6 have scales of lineal measurement, as indicated at IT, I8 and I 9thereon and are disposed in side by side relationship with the elementsI4 and I6 constituting the end elements and the element I5 constitutingthe center element of the bar.

Collars 20 and H of rectangular cross sectional shape are mounted one oneach end bar I 4 and I6 and slidably receive the center bar, and the endelements it and It are disposed at the same side of the center element55 and are slidable from a position at which they overlap thecorresponding end portions of the center element I5 and positions atwhich they extend longitudinally outwardly from the respectivelyopposite ends of the center elements to a limiting position in which theends of the end elements I4 and I6 are adjacent the corresponding endsof the center element l5, as illustrated in Figure 1.

The end elements are provided with holes, as indicated at 22 and 23,extending transversely therethrough at equally spaced apart intervalstherealong, and the center element I 5 is provided with holes, one ateach end thereof. Screws 24 and 25 extend, one through each of the endholes in the center element I5 and selectively through the spaced apartholes in the corresponding end elements I4 and I6 and are provided withwing nuts to secure the end elements in selected positions oflongitudinal adjustment relative to the center element I5, so that thebar II) can be adjusted to a selected length and maintained in itsselected length adjustment.

The legs ii and I2 are straight bars of the same length and may be ofthe same size, shape and material as the elements of the adjustablelength bar ID. These legs each have an aperture adjacent one end thereofand the end elements l4 and It of the bar Hi each has an aperturetherethrough adjacent its end remote from the center element l5. Bolts,as indicated at 26, extend through registering apertures in the endelements [4 and id of the level bar it and in the legs H and 12respectively, and wing nuts, as indicated at 21, are threaded one ontoeach of these bolts to secure the legs in adjusted position to'the levelbar.

When the device is in folded condition, the legs are either detached orare folded closely along the elements of the adjustable length levelbar, which elements are then disposed in mutually overlappingrelationship and, when the device is unfolded for use, the end elementsl6 and it of the bar ill are moved outwardly of the center element l andsecured in selected positions of longitudinal adjustment relative to thecenter element, as indicated above, and the legs H and 12 are brought toaiposition at which their longitudinal center lines are perpendicu larto the longitudinal center line of the bar iii and are disposed in acommon plane which also includes the longitudinal center line of the bar16. When the end elements i i and it are moved outwardly relative to thecenter element it they are held in longitudinal alignment with thecenter element, so that the center lines of the elements [4, i5 and 16together constitute a straight, common center line of the adjustablelength bar.

The slope or grade indicating device it comprises a protractor 30 ofsemicircular shape hav ing a straight edge 3| and an arcuately curvededge 32 and a graduated face disposed parallel to the plane containingthe longitudinal center lines of. the bar ill and the legs H and i2 andprovided with scales 33 of angular measurement around the curved edgethereof.

The protractor preferably carries both degree and grade percentagescales so arranged that the scales begin with a zero marl; near theopposite ends of thecurved edge of the protractor and the hundredpercent mark of the grade percentage and the ninety degree mark is atthe center of the curved edge. The straight edge 3! of the protractor isparallel to the longitudinal center line of the bar iii and the medianradius of the protractor extending from the center of curvature of thecurved edge 32 to the hundred percent and ninety degree mark is disposedsubstantially perpendicular to the longitudinal center line of the barIt and extends from the center. bar ill in a direction opposite thatiinwhich the center lines of the legs I I and i2 extend from the centerline of the bar.

A tubular shield 351s disposed at the outer side ofthe protractorSG andis. pivotally mounted at one end on the protractor at the center ofcurvature of the curved edge 32 of the protractor by suitable means,such as the eye formation 36 on the corresponding end of the shield andthe screw 31 extending through the eye formation 36 and a hole in theprotractor. A spirit level tube 38' of transparent material is mountedin the shield 35 and has a bubble 38 visible through awindow opening 49in the shield. The Window openingl iii is duplicated at the oppositeside of the shield, as indicated at H, and an index mark 32 is providedon the free end of the shield 35 and cooperates with the scales 33 toindicate the angle between the bar In and the horizontal.

In using the device for measuring slopes, with the device in itsunfolded or extended condition, as illustrated in Figure l, the ends ofthe legs H and i2 remote from the bar It are placed on the surface to bemeasured, such as the surface of the ground, and the device is held withthe legs in upright and substantially vertical position. The spiritlevel is then adjusted until the bubble is at the center mark of thelevel and the angular position oi the index marl; &2 relative to theadjacent scale of angular measurement is read off and noted. By movingthe device along so that the leg at the rear end of the device, in thedirection of movement, is placed at the position previously occupied bythe front leg, distances can be easily measured along the ground and theslope for each setting of the device can be attained and recorded. ifthe slope changes from down to up, or vice versa in the direction ofmovement of the device, it is necessary only to swing the spirit levelabout its pivotal connection with the protractor from the scale in useto the other scaleon the protractor.

In using the device for laying out contour lines for strip cropping,drainage ditches, terracing and similar soil conservation practices,with one leg of the extended device at a selected. starting point andwith the spirit level clamped at zero position on the associatedprotractor scale, the other leg of the device is moved up or down hillby swinging it about the first le until a level reading is obtained andthe positions of the legs are then staked. The device is then moved sothe first leg is positioned adjacent the stake marking the levelingposition of the other leg and a new leveling position of the other legobtained. This new position is staked and the process is repeated untila row of stakes marking the contour line has been provided.

The device may also be set to an adjusted length and used to measuredistances for such operations as spacing trees in an orchard or grove.

In the modified arrangement shown in Fig ures 5, 6 and '7, the legs Hand i2 and the end elements of the adjustable length bar, generallyindicated at 65, are substantially the same as the legs H and I2, andthe end elements M and it of the form of the invention illustrated inFigures 1 to 4 inclusive and described above, except in this modifiedarrangement the legs and end elements are duplicated and disposed in.

side by side, parallel relationship and the end elements are providedwith teethor notches, as indicated at 46, in their upper edges.

In the modified arrangement, the center element ll is, however, entirelydifierent from the center element id in the above described form of theinvention, and comprises an elongated block of rectangular shape havinga H-shaped bore 43 extending longitudinally therethrough to providespaced apart and substantially parallel slideways it and Eli ofrectangular cross sectional shape for the paired end elements at theopposite sides of the device.

One pair of end elements, as indicated at i l and i5, extend slidablythrough the slideway 5d and project from the opposite ends of the blockfill, and the other pair of end elements, as indicated at Hi and i6,extend through the slideway 4i and also project from the correspondinglyopposite ends of the center block M.

The block l? is provided with. apertures, as

indicated at El and '51, extending fromv the Flat springs, asindicatedat 54' the end elements, these springs being manually movable away fromthe adjacent surface of the center block to release the pins from theteeth in the end elements andpermit adjustment of the end elementslongitudinally of the center block 41 for adjustably varying the lengthof the level bar 45.

A semicylindrical formation 56 projects upwardly from the upper surfaceof the block 4'! at the mid-length location of this block andprotractors 5! and 58 of semicircular shape are mounted one on each endface of this semicylindrical formation 56. These protractors areprovided around their curved edges with scales of angular measurement,as described above, and a bolt 59 extends through an aperture 80 in theformation 56 with its longitudinal center line coaxial with the centersof curvature of the protractors 51 and 58.

Spirit levels 6! and 62 are disposed one against the outer face of eachof the protractors 57 and 58 and each has one end pivotally mounted onthe bolt 59, as by having on such end. an eye formation receiving theadjacent end of the bolt. These spirit levels have index marks on theirfree ends cooperating with the corresponding protractor scales and areusable either independently or in cooperation with each other inperforming various grade and distance measurements in the field, and forother operations.

In the further modified arrangement illustrated in Figures 8, 9, and 11,the device is the same in principle as those illustrated in Figures 1 to7 inclusive and described above, but is somewhat different in structure.

In the further modified form of the device, the adjustable length bar,generally indicated at 65, has a center element 66 which includes twotube or pipe sections 67 and 68 disposed I in longitudinal alignmentwith adjacent ends spaced apart and their remote ends externally pipethreaded, as indicated at 10 and H.

A protractor structure, generally indicated at 72, is secured to thepipe section 68 at the end of this pipe section adjacent the section 6?and includes a cylindrical plug 13 received in the corresponding end ofthe pipe section 68 and secured therein by suitable means, such as therivets 74 extending through apertures disposed diametrically of the plugand through registering apertures in the pipe section and a bifurcatedformation on the end of the plug at the adjacent end of the pipe section68 providing two spaced apart and parallel protractor bodies (5 and T6of flat, semicircular shape.

A structure, generally indicated at 18, is secured to the tube or pipesection 5? and includes a plug 18 of cylindrical shape received in theend of the section 51 adjacent the section 88 and secured therein by therivets 80 spaced apart longitudinally of the section El and extendingdiametrically through the section t! and the plug 19, and a tongue 81 offlat, semicircular shape extending from the end of the plug 19 at 6;?the adjacent end of the section '61 and disposed between the protractorbodies 15 and 16 of the protractor structure 12.

An aperture is provided through the bodies l5 and i6 and the tongue 8|at the center of curvature of the curved edges 82 of the protractor bodyand a pivot pin or bolt 83 extends through this aperture and pivotallyinterconnects the tube sections 61 and 68. Apertures 84 and 85 extendtransversely through the protractor body 15 and the tongue BI and are inregistry with each other when the tube sections El and 68 are inlongitudinal alignment with each other. A fiat spring 86 is secured atone end to the protractor body 15 and a locking pin 8'! is carried bythis spring at the other end thereof and is received in the apertures 84and 85 when these apertures are in registry to releasably lock theconnection between the tube sections 6? and 58 with these tube sectionsin longitudinal alignment.

The protractor bodies '55 and 16 are provided on their outer faces withscales of angular measurement, as indicated at 88, extending around thecurved edges of the bodies and spirit levels 89 and 90 are disposed atthe outer sides of the protractorbodies l5 and i5 respectively, and eachis pivotally connected at one end to the pivot bolt 83 by suitablemeans, as by having at such end an eye formation receiving thecorresponding end portion of the bolt. These spirit levels are angularlymovable along the protractor scales to indicate the angle between thecenter bar 65 of the device and the horizontal, in the manner indicatedabove.

lubular sections 96 and 92 having an outside diametersubstantially equalto the inside diameter of the sections 6? and 68 are slidably receivedin the outer ends of the sections 6'! and 68 respectively, and projectlongitudinally from the outer ends of these sections.

,Sleeve nuts 93 and 9 1 are threaded onto the screw thread formations l5and ii respectively, at the outer ends of the sections is? and 68 andsurround the sections 9! and 92. Tapered wedging sleeves, as indicatedat 85, are disposed one within each of the nuts 93 and 9 3 insurrounding relationship to'the corresponding sections 9! and $32 tofrictionaliy lock the sections 9| and 92 in adjusted position relativeto the sections 61 and 68 when the nuts are tightened on thecorresponding screw threaded formations it and H. The lever bar 55 canthus be adjusted as to length and its relatively movable elements lockedin selected positions of longitudinal adjustment relative to each other.

The legs 96 and er of this form of the device are tubular sections ofthe same length and each has on one end a hollow, cylindrical socket, asindicated at at and as respectively, extending laterally from thecorresponding leg with its longitudinal center line perpendicular to thelongitudinal center line of the leg and being open at its end remotefrom the leg. The sockets 98 and 59 receive the outer ends of the tubesections 9| and 92 respectively, and the sockets are provided withbayonet slots, as indicated at l 60, extending inwardly from the outer,open end of each socket at diametrically opposite locations therearound.Studs or pins, as indicated at H] I, are secured on the tube sections 9!and 92 near the outer ends of these sections and at diametricallyopposite locations therearound and these studs are received incorresponding bayonet slots to releasably lock the legs 96 and 97 to theouter ends of the end sections-:9! and; 92 f: the eadjnstableilength:level:

bar 55;

The bayonet slots andzstuds are 'so-"arranged:

that bothof the; legs 9% and-91 will-have their longitudinal centerlines disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline of the levelbar- 65" and substantially in a commonplane which also includes thelongitudinal center line of .the

bar 65, and the tube sections 9I and 92 are rota tionally adjusteddn thecorresponding inner. tube sections 6.! and 68, so that theouter facesofthe' protractor bodies; 75 and 16 are parallel to the plane includingthelongitudinal center lines of thelegs and-the longitudinal center lineof the level bar.

The land leveldevices-illustrated inz-Eigures 5 to-7- inclusive and inFigures 8 to 11 inclusive can beadjusted as-to length in the same-manneras the. device illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, .andncanbe usedin the same manner tostep off distances along a surfaceand toindicatethe slope of the surface along the line along which the distanceis measured.

Theinvention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essentialcharacteristicsthereof. The presentembodimentsare, therefore, to be considered inall respectsasillustrative and. not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by theappended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription,

and all changes which come withinthe meaning and. range of equivalencyof the claimsare, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

l. A land level device comprising a straight adjustable length barhaving an intermediate portion, legs detachably securedto said'bar oneat each end thereof and having thesame length, means positioning saidlegs with their longitudinal. center lines perpendicular to thelongitudinal' center line of said bar and substantially in a commonplane which also includes the lon gitudinal center line of the bar, aprotractor mounted on said intermediate portion to remain substantiallyat the mid-length location of the bar and having a semicircularly curvededge, a face, parallel to saidplane, a scale of angular measurementsextending along said curved edge andi'a median :radius perpendicular toth1011- gitudinalxcenterxlineof said bar, .and:a:spirit:level pivotallymountedat-one end-'onsaid protractoratsthe center of curvature ofthecuryed edge of the-latter and having; on its other end zaniindexzmark movable alongv said scale toindicate the angular interval betweensaid bar andthe horizontal.

2. A landlevel comprising an adjustable ilength.

bar: having a straight longitudinal center; line,

legs detachably secured to saidbar; one at eachend thereof and havingthe same length,.means positioning said legswith their longitudinalcen-- ter lines-perpendicular to the' longitudinal center lineof :saidbar. and substantially in a'common plane which also includes-thelongitudinal center line oilthe' bar, a protractor mounted on said 'barsubstantially at the mid-length locationof the bar. and having a faceparallel to said plane and a semicircularly curvedscaleof angularmeasurement thereon with a median radiusrperpendicularto thelongitudinal center line of said bar, and-a spirit levelepivotallymounted at one end onsaid protractor at the center of curvature of saidscale of angular measurement and having on its other end an index markmovable along said scale to indicate the angular. interval between saidbar.

and the horizontal, said adjustable length. bar comprising. a centerelement carrying said pro.- tractor, end elements extendinglongitudinally one from eachv end of, said center element andlongitudinally slidable relative to the latter, and means carried bysaid elements releasably looking said end elements in selected positionsof' longitudinal adjustment relative. to saidcenter element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES, PATENTS

